Cubs reliever Adbert Alzolay goes to bear surgical procedure on his injured arm, tweets Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic. The staff continues to be finding out the main points of the process, but it surely’s discouraging information for a pitcher who has been out for just a few months with a flexor pressure.
Alzolay has battled arm points during the last three seasons. He misplaced virtually the entire 2022 marketing campaign to a shoulder pressure. The righty missed just a few weeks final September with a seemingly minor forearm pressure, although the Cubs felt comfy sufficient together with his standing to reinstate him for the final couple days of the season.
Within the interim, Alzolay broke by as arguably Chicago’s greatest reliever. He labored to a 2.67 ERA throughout 64 innings final season. The Venezuelan pitcher established himself because the Cubs’ nearer, saving 22 video games in 25 makes an attempt. He struck out 26.5% of batters confronted towards a meager 5.1% stroll charge.
The Cubs have been relying on Alzolay to anchor their bullpen once more this season. That didn’t come to cross. He obtained out to a horrible begin to the yr, surrendering 13 runs (9 earned) over 17 1/3 innings. Opponents linked on six homers whereas his strikeout charge dropped by greater than 9 share factors. Alzolay blew 5 leads whereas solely efficiently defending 4 saves and one maintain. His velocity was solely marginally under final season’s ranges and there’s no indication he was pitching by any sort of discomfort till reporting forearm soreness on Could 13.
Chicago identified Alzolay’s harm as a flexor pressure. They shut him down solely for just a few weeks and transferred him to the 60-day injured listing. Alzolay started ramping up a pair weeks in the past and began a rehab stint with Triple-A Iowa in late July. He got here out of his third rehab look after sustaining a setback.
The Cubs determine to supply extra element on the process and Alzolay’s timeline subsequent week. An unspecified arm surgical procedure appears as if it might influence his availability for the beginning of subsequent season. If he requires any sort of ligament restore, it might put his total ’25 marketing campaign in jeopardy. The 29-year-old is making $2.11MM this season in his first yr of arbitration. He’ll be in line for the same wage in ’25 assuming the Cubs tender him a contract. He’s on observe without cost company after the 2026 marketing campaign.